The TinderBox Blog

Connecting Emotionally With Your Customers

A sale is more than just selling a product or service. It is a holistic process, and your selling approach matters just as much as the quality of your product. Successful salespeople recognize this fact and add a personal touch, establishing an emotional connect with their customer. Here are a few tips to help you make that emotional connection.

LISTEN

As a salesperson, you spend a good amount of time talking…however, you need to listen more. Listen to what your customers have to say about your product. Pay attention and take note of the little details- anniversaries, birthdays, special preferences, details about family…and next time you interact, bring up some of those details in the conversation.

ENGAGE

As marketers move away from traditional mass-marketing services to personalized and customized marketing campaigns, it is important that you not only inform, but also express. Be expressive when you talk about your brand and what it stands for- have fun with it. (Remember the Evian video with roller skating babies? It was fun, and made a huge impact.) Audio, video and multimedia are great ways to engage your customer. Give them an experience which they will enjoy and remember.

INTERACT

A sale is about building relationships and all relationships are a two-way process. Open up to the customer when you get the chance and share something about yourself, a common interest (perhaps even a flaw!) and make them feel more at home. When customers get to know you, they are more comfortable and more emotionally connected to your business.

BE PATIENT

Selling takes time. Not all customers will whip out their credit cards and say ‘charge it’ within 5 minutes of seeing your product. Others may buy from you for years but not open up, making it difficult to include them in your inner circle of loyal customers. Others may be cautious buyers who spend a lot of time thinking about their purchase. As a salesperson, you need to be patient. When your customers see that you respect their buying behavior, they know you value them as individuals.

Here’s wishing you the very best in connecting emotionally with your customers.